- Syrian forces clash with Assad loyalists in Latakia, leaving dozens dead.
- Government reinforcements deployed as fighting spreads to Homs and Aleppo.
- Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces mounting security challenges.
Syrian forces aligned with the newly established government in Damascus have engaged in intense clashes with remnants of the ousted Assad regime in the country’s northwestern coastal region. The fighting, which has been concentrated in Latakia province—home to a Russian-controlled airbase—has reportedly left dozens dead.
In response to the escalating violence, authorities have imposed a curfew in the affected areas, set to remain in place until Friday morning. These clashes mark some of the most severe attacks against forces linked to Syria’s Islamist-led government since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December.
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The conflict has been particularly fierce in coastal regions that serve as the heartland of the Alawite community, a group historically loyal to the Assad family. State-run news agency SANA reported that “significant military reinforcements” were being deployed to the city of Jableh to quell the resistance.
Casualty figures remain disputed, and independent verification has been challenging. Late Thursday, the Syrian-based Step news agency reported that government-aligned forces had killed approximately 70 former regime fighters and captured more than 25 others in Jableh and its surrounding areas. Meanwhile, the AFP news agency, citing a war monitor, reported that at least 48 people had been killed, including 16 government security personnel, 28 pro-Assad fighters, and four civilians.
The unrest is not confined to Latakia. Reports indicate that clashes have also erupted in Homs and Aleppo, with unverified social media videos capturing the sound of heavy gunfire in residential neighbourhoods of Homs.
In a statement aired on state media, Syrian Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani issued a stark warning to Assad loyalists still engaged in the fight. “Thousands have chosen to surrender their weapons and reunite with their families, while some persist in fleeing or dying in defence of murderers and criminals. The choice is clear: lay down your weapons or face your inevitable fate,” he declared.
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The continuing resistance in Latakia has emerged as a major security challenge for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Alawite activists claim their community has faced increasing violence and targeted attacks since Assad’s downfall, particularly in rural parts of Homs and Latakia. Meanwhile, unrest in the south has also intensified, with recent clashes involving Druze fighters.
Adding to the new government’s challenges, Syria’s foreign minister recently assured the global chemical weapons watchdog that Damascus remains committed to dismantling any remaining stockpiles produced under the Assad regime. While Assad’s government consistently denied using chemical weapons throughout Syria’s 14-year civil war, activists have long accused it of carrying out numerous chemical attacks.
